Two New Twists on Skype Phone Gear

These two products take very different approaches to enhancing Skype phoning. Ed Tittel and Justin Korelc put the Iogear USB VoIP Skype Calling Kit and TRENDnet ClearSky Bluetooth VoIP Kit through their paces

Thanks for pointing out that 00 is equivalent to typing + in a SkypeOut dial string. Not only did I not know that, I couldn't find it documented anywhere in the Skype help files or documentation--though it is mentioned in plenty of other third-party documents (as for example at http://www.dontronics.com/phoneconnector.html where you'll find this text "Skype will accept "00" as a substitute for the "+" character, so to dial a Skype Out, or real telephone number, you simply dial 00, then country code, then number." ).

I'm going to have to let the guys at IOgear know about this, too, because they were no more aware of it than I was. Now, instead of adding a + button to their dial-pad, they need only add this information to their documentation. A much easier fix for them, which I'm sure they'll be glad to learn about, as I was.

Thanks again!
--Ed--

I have a question.

Can you roam with Skype? I mean, if I've installed Skype on a notebook and can connect at a WiFi hotspot at a Starbuchs for example, can I use the Skype VoIP phones?

This is true, but also be aware that voice quality over wireless links can depend greatly on how active the hotspot may be at the time you're trying to talk. I've experience everything from great, crystal-clear voice quality all the way to such dropping of packets (a symptom of network congestion) that voice became unintelligible. As they say on the Internet, YMMV!

--Ed--